Secrets
by Dark G0ddess
Summary: Meet Aaliyah Sinclair, Older Sister of Lucas Sinclair. Follow her story as she does her part in finding Will Byers and keeping a secret from her best friend Nancy.
1. The Vanishing of Will Byers

Aaliyah Sinclair was doing her nails when her house phone suddenly started to ring, she placed her nail polish on the dresser and got up to get the phone. "I got it." She shouted throughout the house.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey Liyah, what you doing?" Her best-friend Nancy said.

"Oh, nothing just finishing up my nails." Aaliyah replied. She got up and went to find her brush, after a while of searching she got frustrated and muttered 'shit' under her breath. "Um Nancy, is Luke over there?" Aaliyah asked.

"Yeah, he's down in the basement with the other weirdos." Nancy said. Aaliyah made a snort and said "you mean the Loser's Club." They both started to laugh and Aaliyah was laughing so loudly that her Mom shouted something that she really couldn't hear, but it sound something like 'Could you quiet down'.

At that moment Nancy told her to hold on, so she went back too lay down on her bed. Nancy came back to the phone and said "It was just Dustin."

Aaliyah chuckled "You know he's just in love with you." She just sighed "Ew, that's gross."

"It's true" she replied.

"Speaking of true love, Steve called my the other day." Nancy told her, Aaliyah hated talking about Steve especially since she went to summer camp with him this past year. She also would like to forget the things that happened between them. "Oh cool." Aaliyah said nonchalant

"I know, you don't like. Barb doesn't like him either" Nancy replied. "I never said I didn't like him, it's just…" Aaliyah lost her words. "What?" Nancy asked.

Aaliyah wanted to be honest to her life long friend, she wanted too tell her the truth but she find her words so instead she just blamed her blunder on her brother who just so happen to walk in the house.

"Nothing. Luke just walked through the door, but Nance I'm getting tired so I will see you tomorrow" Aaliyah said. "Okay Goodnight" Nancy told her.

Lucas just shook his head and proceeded to walk to his room but a voice stopped him "Luke could you please make me some pizza rolls?" Aaliyah asked. She got an irritated look in return "How about you do it yourself" Lucas said.

"Oh C'mon I'll owe you a solid." She said convincingly, he have her a look but when she heard the freezer on and close and the microwave start, she knew she could count on him.

The next morning at school, she found Nancy and Barb by their lockers. Aaliyah had a smile on her face when she approached them "Hello Gals, what are we talking about?"

"Steve" Barb said. Her smile instantly fell, it seems like she couldn't get away from Steve especially since Nancy and him are getting more serious. Aaliyah was in her thoughts that she didn't even hear their conversation.

"You better still hang out with us, that's all I'm saying." Barb told Nancy. Aaliyah nodded her head in agreement "If you become friends with Tommy H. or Carol…"

"Oh, that's gross!" Nancy interjected.

"Well its kind of true Nance, I watched many movies where that one friend gets a douche of a boyfriend and she turns her back on her own friends." Aaliyah said, Barb nodded.

"Okay, I'm telling the both of you, It was a one-time…two-time thing" Nancy replied, Aaliyah and Barb both shared a look and then looked at her.

Nancy then opened her locker and to put up her books but a piece of paper caught her eye. It was a not from Steve, Aaliyah assumed. Her suspensions were confirmed when she opened it and the name Steve appeared.

"You were saying?" Barb said sarcastically.


	2. The Weirdo on Maple Street

The next morning the whole Sinclair family was dining at the table, no one was speaking because of the news Lucas had just informed them. Will Byers is missing, brother to Jonathan Byers. Aaliyah could only sympathize with him, even though they bicker most of the time she would go to the moon and back for her brother.

"That's awful" Her mother said.

"Yeah it is" Lucas said depressingly.

Aaliyah could only imagine the pain he was going through right now, she knew how close they all are. She finished the remaining breakfast that was left and they both got up to get ready too go to school.

"Bye Mom, Bye Dad" They both said as the exited the house.

At school Aaliyah, Nancy and Barb was walking through the hallway. Barb was helping Nancy with her chemistry test while she was reading up on her history quiz.

All of a sudden, Steve snatched the flash cards out of Barb's hand while intentionally bumping into Aaliyah causing her to drop her book. She glared at him and he only smirked in response, he turned his attention to Nancy.

"I think you studied enough Nance" He said while flipping through the various cards. "I'm telling you, you know, you got this" he continued.

"Now on more important matters, My dad has left town on a conference and my mom's gone with him, because she don't trust him" Steve explained. Aaliyah and Nancy shared a look, then she looked back at Steve

"In for what?" She asked.

"No parents? Big House?" Carol stated.

"A party?" Aaliyah said unamused by Carol's attitude. Steve's smile only grew to her comment

While Carol said "ding-ding-ding."

"But its Tuesday" Nancy replied. Tommy and Carol started to mock her, Aaliyah began to open her mouth but Barb put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She always need Nance or Barb to calm her down at times, but Barb was proficient at it.

"So you in or you out?" Steve asked. But before Nancy could answer Carol adverted everyone's attention to Johnathan. He was sticking a missing person's flier on the bulletin board.

"Oh god, that's depressing" Steve said, Aaliyah smacked her lips and said "You can be so inconsiderate sometimes." He held up his hands in surrender "I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true." To that, Aaliyah only shook her head.

"She we say something?" Nancy asked

"I don't think he speaks." Carol replied.

Aaliyah couldn't stand another second around Carol's presence, so she opted to be the first to speak with Johnathan, she heard them continue their conversation as she made her way over to him, passing the hoards of people in the hallway.

"Um, Johnathan?" Aaliyah said, he turned around with a surprised look on his face. Like he wasn't expecting her to know his name.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"I just wanted to say that I know this is a tough time for you." She said, he look down and she continued "I just want you to know that if you need anything, just tell ask."

He gave her a small smile and nodded his head "Thanks." Aaliyah smiled back and for a split second she became lost in his eyes, she never realized how pretty they were. Then the school bell snapped her out of her daze.

"I have to get to class" She said quickly as she rushed down the hall, but what she didn't notice was Steve's inexplicable look he was giving her as she passed him.

Later that day Aaliyah was in her room listening to music, when she suddenly got a call. She took her headphones off and placed them on her dresser and picked up the phone.

"Hey Liyah" It was Barb. A smile suddenly appeared on her face, she went to go sit down on her bed.

"Hey B, What's up?" Aaliyah asked, curious as to why Barb used her rarely used nickname. She knew something was up. And her suspicions was proven correct when she asked could she accompany her to Steve's 'party'.

Aaliyah really didn't want to go, so she tried to make an excuse "I don't know, what will I tell my parents?"

"Tell them your going to attend the school assembly for Will" Barb said.

Aaliyah had a bad gut feeling lying about that. Because she did really want to attend it and reassure Johnathan about earlier.

"It's just I don't want to be around…." Aaliyah said before Barb cut her off "Steve?" Barb was the only person that knew of her secret, She was the only person Aaliyah could confine in. She took a deep breath and whispered "Yes."

"I know how hard it was for you Liyah but you can't let this secret dictate your life." She stated softly.

Aaliyah pondered over the decision, she knew deep down she couldn't run from it forever. Her mind then started to have flashes of her and Steve together at camp. Them building a fire together, at the lake and him sneaking into her cabin…. She quickly shook her head to rid herself of them hurtful memories.

"Okay, Ill come" Aaliyah told her.

"Great, I'll pick you up in half an hour" Barb said pleased.

And half an hour later, they all was on their way to Steve's party, on the way there Nancy requested to stop on side of the road. To change her clothes.

"Nancy, what are you doing?" Barb asked

"And that is a new bra" Aaliyah stated simply.

Aaliyah had come to the conclusion, that Nancy and Steve were going to have sex tonight but what she didn't know is if Barb knew.

After getting situated they got out the car and knocked on Steve's door. When he answered the door he had a smirk but it only became more prevalent when he glanced at Aaliyah.

"Hello ladies" He said.

They made their way inside the house and Aaliyah was awed on how big it was. They followed him into the living room which led them right into the back where the pool was located. Tommy and Carol was already there, as usual Aaliyah gave Carol a glare.

"Oh, calm your tits Li-Li" Carol snapped at Aaliyah.

"At least I have some" Aaliyah shot back.

To that Steve laughed loudly and as a reward he gave her a beer, at first she was going to decline but since it was party and feeling accomplished of shutting Carol up. She took it from his hands it chugged it down her throat.

Barb have her a disapproving look but Aaliyah only shrugged at her. Over the course of thirty five minutes, Aaliyah couldn't remember how many beers she had.

"is that supposed to impress me?" Nancy asked Steve

"You're not?" Steve replied. Aaliyah already getting bored of their flirtatious bantering decided to go to the bathroom

"I need to use the ladies room" Aaliyah said.

"Oh, its upstairs past my room" Steve stated.

She quickly got up, but that seemed to be a bad idea as when she did so her head became a lot more fuzzy but she regained her balance and quickly looked around to see if anyone saw that embarrassing moment, and for a split second she thought she was in the clear until her eyes locked onto Steve's.

She turned and walk into the house and up the stairs and while passing his room, his door was wide open. She pondered whether to walk in or not and settled on exploring his room.

She look around on his dresser and something curious caught her eye, it was a picture of them together from their time at camp. The both of them laughing in the sun, Aaliyah smiled at perfect moment and she began to get lost in her drunken thoughts until she heard a voice from behind her.

"You must wonder why I kept it?" She was startled and turned around to see Steve leaning against his doorframe.

"I really don't care, Your with Nancy now so.." As she was speaking he slowly made his way over to her and she had not realized that she was slowly backing up until her back collided with the wall.

He put both of his hands on the side of the wall, trapping her. She knew it was wrong to be this close to him but she didn't have the words to speak it.

"I've missed you so much" He whispered while inching closer and closer to her face, Aaliyah had froze but before he could reach her lips, a voice from down stairs called out to them.

"You guys okay up there?" Nancy asked.

"Yeah, I was just helping her find the bathroom" Steve said.

Aaliyah took that opportunity to push him off her and rushed down the stairs, she ran so quickly that she didn't even hear Nancy calling for her. She eventual found herself in the woods crying to herself. She felt ashamed because she was going to allow him to kiss her. Even though she was still quite drunk.

She kept walking until she realized that she didn't know where she was going, that's when she saw something monstrous looking, she tried to slowly back away but a twig she stepped on snapped and the creature turned its head.

Aaliyah started to run and she was running so fast and looking behind her every few seconds that she didn't notice the person she ran into.

She looked up and seen that it was Johnathan, she was relieved and clung onto to him for dear life while hesitantly started to hold her back whispering "It's okay" over and over again.

"


	3. Holly, Jolly Part 1

Aaliyah groggily opened her eyes, unable to move because of the raging headache from the beers last night so instead of getting out of bed, she stared at the ceiling for five whole minutes until she realize it didn't possess the star stickers she placed on them when she was nine years old.

She swiftly sat up straight, which caused Johnathan to jump in surprise. She noticed that he had nothing on except his boxers, Aaliyah blushed while he quickly put on his shirt.

She grabbed her head at her sudden movement while Johnathan came over to her with some Tylenol. He smiled at her while handing her the medicine and she smiled back.

"Thanks" Aaliyah said.

"No problem" Johnathan replied "So what happened last night?"

"I thought I seen something but it was probably me having too much to drink." Aaliyah said thinking about what that 'creature' was. She thought she had seen a demon from hell.

"Wait a sec, this isn't my house which means I spent the night over here?" Aaliyah asked while trying to find her jacket around the room. Johnathan gave her a sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I didn't know where you stayed and I couldn't just leave you in the woods by yourself." Johnathan said but that had got Aaliyah wondering. She finally found her jacket on the floor and tied it around her waist.

"Why were you in the woods late at night?" Aaliyah asked, at first Johnathan was reluctant to tell her about his hobby. But he also didn't want to lie too her.

"I was taking pictures" He told her, she gave him a confused look so he went to his bag and gathered multiple pictures from it and showed it to her. It was of Tommy and Carol in the pool, Nancy and Barb and the last picture made her eyes bulge.

It was Her and Steve together with their faces inches apart from last night. She quickly snatched the picture from his hands to inspect it more clearly.

"You where there?" Aaliyah said angrily "What you stalking us or something."

"No, of course not I heard screaming and I thought someone was in trouble" Nathan said.

She gave him a weary look, she knew she couldn't leave the photo with him. If the wrong person got their hands on this, the evidence would cause a lot of problems.

"Can I keep this?" Aaliyah asked. Johnathan gave her a look but said "Sure."

She hugged him and this time he hugged back unlike last night where he hesitated a bit. They friendly embrace was cut short by a voice. They both heard his mother say his brother name over and over, they both looked at each other and dashed to the Will's room.

They both found her sitting on Will's bed muttering to herself, Aaliyah haven't seen Miss Byers since the disappearance of her son. Seeing her in this state made Aaliyah's heart sink.

"Mom?" Johnathan said.

"Johnathan, please come here" Joyce pleaded desperately completely ignoring Aaliyah's presence. Then Aaliyah slightly nudged Johnathan towards his mother, while she stood silently in the doorway.

"It's Will, he's trying to talk to me" Joyce said

"He's trying to talk to you?" Johnathan said repeating her

"Yes, through the lights" Joyce exclaimed. Aaliyah cocked her head to the side and wondered if this was the starting of a mental breakdown. Aaliyah could see the reasonings behind it but she didn't want to believe it.

"Mom-"Johnathan started but Joyce cut him off " I know, I know. Just watch"

"Will, you're brother's here could you show him what you showed me, baby" Joyce continued. Then a spark suddenly appeared but as soon as it did it was gone. Aaliyah wasn't convinced that Will was dead, she like her brother Lucas think that he's still missing. So she didn't believe in Joyce's paranormal breakdown.

"Did you see that?" Joyce said frantically.

"It's the electricity, Mom" Johnathan said unconvinced, "It's the same thing that fried the phone."

"No! It not the electricity, Johnathan." Joyce said. She started going on about more lamps and even said that something came out of the walls. Aaliyah started to doleful as she was seeing this scene before her own eyes.

"First the lights, then the wall?" Johnathan said.

"I just know Will is here" Joyce replied.

"Maybe if I get more lamps-" Joyce was cut off by Johnathan "No, no more lamps."

"He is just lost" Johnathan exclaimed "People are looking for him and they're going to find him."

Joyce seemingly coming back to her since muttered okay, Johnathan gave his mother a hug and told her he'll be right back. They both walked into the living room together and he gave her an apologetic smile "I'm sorry you had to see that" Johnathan said.

"No, no I completely understand." Aaliyah said, Then she remembered her own mother then her father. She knew she was going to get in so much trouble for not coming home last night. Johnathan meanwhile was in his own his thoughts staring at her in a somewhat hypnotize daze until Aaliyah snapped her fingers.

"Could you please take me home now?" Aaliyah asked, Johnathan nodded sheepishly. Her eyes started to trail down his face towards his waist "And you should probably out on some pants." To that he dashed for his room while she giggled hysterically.

When they pulled up outside of her house, she unbuckled her seatbelt and told him "Remember, if you need anything come to me." She then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and got out of the car.

She came to the front of her door and retrieved the key from under the door mat. She silently opened her door, then she eased her way up the stairs. For a second Aaliyah thought she was in the clear until her sister Erica came out of her room. Before Aaliyah had a chance to bribe her, she yelled for both of her parents.

"Do you know what time it is?" Her father shouted coming out of his room, with her mother right behind him.

"Do you know how worried we were?" Her mother continued, they both yelled at her for being irresponsible and not trust worthy. She told them she stayed over at Nancy's, so they would get off her back and to her surprise they did.

Aaliyah walked to her locker excepting both Barb and Nance but to her surprise no one was present. She shrugged it off and assumed they must be already in class. She started to walk to class until Steve unexpectedly got in front of her which caused her to collide into him.

But before she could fall, he quickly caught her. He then dragged her into the girl's bathroom, Aaliyah gave him an annoyed look and he only smirk in return.

"What do you want?" Aaliyah said not wanting to talk to him at this moment. She was already late to class and she didn't want to be any later then she already was.

"About last night." Steve replied, Aaliyah breath hitched in her throat. She hoped that he would've forgotten that whole mess.

"You were going to let me kiss you." Steve continued. She shook her head ferociously

"We were both heavily drunk." Aaliyah said.

"Stop denying it babe" Steve told her, Aaliyah froze at that. "I'll prove it to you." He started to lean in closer and closer to her, with their lips inches apart once again.


End file.
